Evaluation of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) attractants in northeastern Ethiopia

A study was conducted in South Wollo and North Wollo administrative zones of northeastern Ethiopia in 2018; Torula yeast, protien hydrolase, methyl eugenol, trimed lure and terpinyil acetate were evaluated for adult fruit fly species complexes trapping. Four fruit fly species was trapped; Bactrocera dorsalis, Ceratitis cosyra, Ceratitis capitata and Ceratitis fasciventris. Bactrocera dorsalis was the most abundant species accounted for 97.9% of the total trapped adults. The number of B. dorsalis C. cosyra and C. capitata showed a significant difference among trapping locations and attractants; The highest number of B. dorsalis was trapped with methyl eugenol at Kalu (722.2 flies/ trap/ week); C. capitata was higher at Habru which was guava and coffee dominated habitat while C. cosyra was relatively higher at Kobo which is mango dominated; more adults were trapped in male lure traps (97.03%) than food-based attractants (2.97%); food-based attractants could be valuable alternatives for detection and monitoring of fruit flies.